Making a hardwood curved stage

[Jim]

Hey guys

I have a 'stage' for my home theater project that is about 11' wide and is curved...about 2 feet deep in the middle and 1 foot on the ends.

First off, I know how to physically make the curved cut, I issue is how to do with and look like hardwood...either solid without seams or hardwood flooring strip look..and get the edge treatment right, now on to the questions:

- My best case is a solid piece of hardwood...red oak for example...with bullnose front edge...this could also be hardwood strips like a floor if necessary.

For this idea, big radius to make from solid piece with router or jigsaw since it would require at least 12" x 11' piece and a lot of waste. I guess I could use hardwood flooring and then cut the curve and round over the upper edge or put on a molding that is thin enough to curve but a finished solid piece would be better.

I could try to get a hardwood shop to manufacture this I guess.

- Second idea...use MDF and veneer....well...does someone sell longer sheets of veneer then 8'? using a 2' x 11' piece veneer would be great...but still leaves the outer edge...my wife would prefer not a square edge, but bull nose or other edge treatment or the molding option again. Other option is veneered plywood but I havent seen 11' foot veneered plywood either.

My fall back is just MDF and paint...my initial idea was to carpet it...wife doesnt like that idea.

- I am thinking as I type that using hardwood flooring maybe my best bet and use a thin oak molding to wrap around the curve....getting a REALLY nice curve cut would be nerve wracking....or I get a finish molding that just overlaps the top surface to hid the joint. hmmmm..

Help? Thanks Jim

[Frank Ketchum]

If I understand what you want correctly, the vertical portion is the portion which would need to be curved and the cap will be cut with a radius to cover it.

You don't want to do this out of a solid block. What you want is to bend the hardwood. Bend? It's not as hard as it sounds. What you want to do is a lamination glue up. Get your stock that you want to use and resaw it on a bandsaw (resawing is passing the wood through on edge to create wide, thin boards). If you resaw your wood into several thin strips, (maybe 1/8" thick) you can glue them back together around a curved form to give you a curved front. This will appear as a solid piece of wood and is the normal way of doing this sort of thing.

Maybe buy book that describes the process in detail if you are unfamiliar with it. You may also be able to get a mill to mill the boards into the thin strips if you need.

Good luck Frank

[Jim]

I dont think I am understood correctly.

I just want to cover the surface of this stage....it is like a riser ....one step up from the floor. it comes out from the wall and has a constant curve (matching soffit above at ceiling). Horizontal floor surface on this stage. The front edge is curved at a constant radius. I am thinking I just use hardwood flooring and trim the strips off at my radius and wrap it with a thin hardwood molding.

thx

[default]

Just nail planking on top of it so that it overhangs by an inch or more, and then trim it off to fit with a router bit.

[Jim]

think I should do it parallel with the wall (e.g. long direction) or diagonal? I think straight out from wall wouldnt look good...if I do it long direction, the last board will be a sliver at the peak of the stage/radius.

[Joe Gorman]